Osteospermum plant named &#39;oste pinkbic&#39;

ABSTRACT

An  Osteospermum  cultivar particularly distinguished by pink bi-colored inflorescences, dark green foliage and vigorous growth.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Osteospermum ecklonis

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Oste Pinkbic’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The variety ‘Oste Pinkbic’ originated from a cross made in October, 2000. The female parent is a light violet proprietary line OX-48 (unpatented). The male parent is ‘Seaside’, (patent status unknown) which is a light pink bi-color commercial variety. Seed from this cross was sown in June 2001. In October 2001, single-plant selections were made for vegetative propagation using plant habit and flower color as selection criteria. One selection became the new variety ‘Oste Pinkbic’.

‘Oste Pinkbic’ is a product of a planned breeding program intended to create new Osteospermum cultivars with pink bi-colored flowers, dark green foliage, and vigorous growth.

The new cultivar was created in 2000 in Gilroy, Calif. and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif.; and Andijk, The Netherlands over a two ½ year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif.; and Andijk, The Netherlands. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagation, and this novelty is firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color, the colors shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Photos were taken from plants grown in The Netherlands in the late winter/spring in a 54° greenhouse. Plants are 4½ months old, had one terminal pinch at 3 weeks old, and are grown in a 4 inch pot with 3 treatments of cyocel.

The photograph shows the mature plant with an inset photo of a close-up of the inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Oste Pinkbic’. The data, which defines these characteristics, were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Gilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on 5 month old plants grown in one gallon pots in the late winter/spring season, in a Lexan covered greenhouse under natural light and color readings were taken in the greenhouse under natural lights. Color references are primarily to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS) 2001. Texture description details were observed under a dissecting microscope according to The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening (1992).

THE PLANT

-   Classification: Osteospermum ecklonis. -   Botanical: Osteospermum. -   Commercial: ‘Oste Pinkbic’. -   Form: Upright, nicely compact and mounded. -   Growth and branching habit: Good vigorous, freely branched habit. -   Height: From soil level to top of blooms: Approximately 20-24 cm. -   Width: Approximately 20-30 cm. -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant: 8-11 weeks for a 6 inch     pot. -   Outdoor plant performance: Herbaceous, frost tender perennial patio     planters, mixed container plantings or garden beds. -   Time to initiate and develop roots: Approximately 8-14 days in the     greenhouse. -   Root description: Fibrous, white.

THE LEAVES

-   Leaf arrangement: Alternate. -   Fully expanded, Length: 5.0-6.4 cm; Width: 3.5-4.0 cm. -   Leaf shape: Obovate. -   Leaf margin: Dentate. -   Apex aspect: Broadly acute. -   Base aspect: Acuminate. -   Leaf color: Upper surface — RHS 147A (yellow-green); Under surface     RHS 137A (green). -   Leaf texture: Pilose. -   Venation: Pinnate. -   Venation color: RHS 144A (yellow-green) -   Petiole length: 2.0-3.0 cm. -   Petiole diameter: 0.4-0.5 cm. -   Petiole color: RHS 144A (yellow-green). -   Petiole texture: Hirsute.

THE STEM

-   Length: 18-20 cm. -   Diameter: 0.4-0.5 cm. -   Stem internode length: 1.0-1.2 cm. -   Color: RHS 144A (yellow-green). -   Texture: Pilose. -   Stem anthocyanin: None. -   Peduncle color: RHS 144B (yellow-green). -   Peduncle length: 7.0-9.0 cm. -   Peduncle diameter: 0.2 cm. -   Peduncle texture: Pilose and glandular hairs.

THE BUD

-   Shape: Ovate. -   Diameter: 0.6-0.9 cm. -   Length: 1.0-1.3 cm. -   Color at tight bud (starting to show color): RHS 161 A     (greyed-yellow).

THE FLOWER

-   Blooming habit: Plants flower freely from the spring through fall     given the proper growing conditions. -   Inflorescence/floret type: Terminal and axillary inflorescences held     above the foliage. Capitulum inflorescence, radially symmetrical. -   Flower (limb) diameter: 5.5-6.0 cm. -   Ray petal, immature color: Upper surface is RHS N155B (white);     between RHS 75A and B (light purple) at the outer two-thirds portion     of the petals, shading into the middle portion of petals and light     shade of RHS 75A (light purple) in longitudinal strips; basal     portion of petals RHS 75B (light purple); middle portion RHS N155B     (white) and RHS 69D (pink). Under surface is RHS 75C (light purple);     with longitudinal stripes of shades of RHS 176B (greyed orange) and     shading of RHS 83D (violet) at the apex; shading of RHS 182D (greyed     red) in between the stripes. Mature Color: Upper surface is RHS     N155B (white); between shades of RHS 72C and D (light purple) on the     outer two thirds with RHS 75C (light purple) longitudinal stripes;     basal shading of RHS 72D (light purple) middle portion shading of     RHS N155B (white) and RHS 69D (pink). Under surface is RHS 75C     (light purple) with longitudinal stripes of shades of RHS 176B     (greyed orange) and shading of RHS 83D (violet) at the apex; shading     of RHS 182D (greyed-red) in between the stripes.     -   -   Petal length.—2.9-3.1 cm.         -   Petal width.—0.8-0.9 cm.         -   Petal apex shape.—Emarginate to Praemorse.         -   Petal base shape.—Cuncate.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose and hirsute on the basal margins.         -   Petal quantity.—Approximately 19. -   Disc petal, tube color: RHS 73C (red-purple) with RHS N77A (light     purple) tip.     -   -   Shape.—Tubular, elongated.         -   Length.—0.5-0.6 cm.         -   Diameter at apex.—0.1-0.2 cm.         -   Apex shape.—5-pointed, acute.         -   Apex color.—RHS N79A (purple).         -   Petal quantity.—Approximately 70-75. -   Phyllaries, color.—RHS 138A (green).     -   -   Length.—0.9-1.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Linear.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Texture.—Hirsute and glandular hairs.         -   Longevity of individual blooms.—7-14 days.         -   Fragrance.—None.

THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Androecium, Pollen color: RHS 23A (yellow-orange).     -   -   Filament color.—RHS N155D (white). -   Gynoecium, pistil: 1 per floret.     -   -   Pistil length.—0.5 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS N77A (purple).         -   Style color.—RHS 73C (light purple).         -   Fruit seed set.—Has not been observed.

DISEASE AND INSECT RESISTANCE

-   Has not been observed.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Oste Pinkbic’ differs from the female parent, OX-48 in the following ways: ‘Oste Pinkbic’ is later to flower, more vigorous, has larger flowers and is a lighter flower color than OX-48.

‘Oste Pinkbic’ differs from the male parent, ‘Seaside’ in the following ways: ‘Oste Pinkbic’ is earlier to flower, a lighter flower color, better branching and has shorter peduncles than ‘Seaside’. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant as shown and described herein. 